PLYMOUTH NORTH BASEBALL: Eagles knock off defending state champs

Friday

Apr 4, 2014 at 11:36 AMApr 4, 2014 at 11:40 AM

PLYMOUTH – Last year came to an end for the Plymouth North baseball team in a 5-4 loss to Hingham in the Division 2 South quarterfinals. The circle of sports life brought the same two teams back together Wednesday in the first game of the new season, but this time it way the Blue Eagles walking off the brand new turf at the high school with a 7-3 win.

David Wolcott dwolcott@wickedlocal.com @DavidWolcott1

PLYMOUTH – Last year came to an end for the Plymouth North baseball team in a 5-4 loss to Hingham in the Division 2 South quarterfinals. The circle of sports life brought the same two teams back together Wednesday in the first game of the new season, but this time it way the Blue Eagles walking off the brand new turf at the high school with a 7-3 win.

In the first baseball game played on the Plymouth North High School campus in three years, senior Captain Brian Christian was dominant on the mound after getting some first-inning jitters out of the way. His fastball topped out at 89 mph as he sliced and diced the Harbormen hitters, not allowing a hit after the second inning.

Christian allowed an unearned run in the first frame, but he shut the door after that. He struck out eight before handing the ball off to sophomore Kyle Mann with one out in the top of the seventh. He also did damage at the plate with a monster RBI triple and a single as part of the win.

“We were a little shaky in the first, but once Brian got going, he was nasty. And once we got rolling, I think we hit the ball pretty well,” Manager Dwayne Follette said. “It was nice to knock off the defending state champs right away at the start of the season. You want to be the best, you’ve got to play the best.”

Maneuvering 22 players in and out of the game, Plymouth North had to come from behind early as a first inning error led to a 1-0 lead for Hingham. Christian wiped that lead away in the bottom of the frame with a long triple that scored Pat Fey to tie it up, 1-1.

“When Brian hit the triple I think everyone relaxed and started playing baseball,” Follette said.

Plymouth North took the lead for good in the third inning when a Colin Nicklas sacrifice fly and Jake Zaniboni’s pinch-hit single put the Blue Eagles on top 3-1.

They were back for more in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Cam Drew (two hits) singled, Pat Hicks walked and Nicklas doubled them both home for his second and third RBI of the game to extended the advantage to 5-1.

In the fifth, Cullin Cosgrove pushed Christian across the plate with an infield single to make it 6-1. Joey Walsh singled home Nicklas for another run in the sixth before Hingham added two unearned runs in the seventh to make the final score 7-3.

Plymouth North has its first home game under the lights Monday at 5:30 p.m. when the Eagles host Marshfield. D-Y comes to town for an Atlantic Coast League battle at 4 p.m. Wednesday before the Eagles take on Nauset Saturday, April 12, for a doubleheader.

E-Mail the reporter at dwolcott@wickedlocal.com and follow him on Twitter, @davidwolcott1.